Every day should be cheeseburger day in our mind! There’s something about biting into a juicy burger with the cheese oozing all over the place that’ll put a smile on anyone’s face. Whether you keep your cheeseburger simple by topping with some ketchup or you like to add special sauce, lettuce, pickles, and onions, there are a few tips to making the perfect cheeseburger.
Choose the Right Meat
When buying meat, look for an 80/20 (80% lean, 20% fat) or 85/15 mix. The more fat, the juicier the burger will be. Fat is what adds flavor. If you’re really looking for less fatty beef, we wouldn’t go below a 90/10 mix. Anything leaner will result in a dry, less flavorful burger that will fall apart.
Don’t Overwork the Meat
Working the meat too much will result in a dense burger. When making patties, take about 5 ounces of beef and form it into a ball. Gently press the meat into a round patty. Don’t worry about the imperfections, the patty doesn’t have to be perfectly round. Ideally, it should be the size of your buns and about 1-inch thick. Skip the seasoning at this point too. Burgers really only need a salt and a bit of pepper. But, salt can change the structure of the beef so you do not want it to sit on the meat too long. Right before you’re ready to cook, add a bit of seasoning.
Make a Dimple in the Burger
Have you ever seen on TV chefs use their thumb to put a small dimple (depression) in the center of the burger? It’s an easy trick to prevent the burger from shrinking or doming (puffing up). If the burger puffs up, the meat does not cook evenly. With the dimple, any juices that try to escape settle in the depression and get reabsorbed into the burger. Don’t stick your thumb all the way through the meat, though. A small dimple (maybe 1/4-inch most) is all you need.
Let the Meat Chill Out
After making the patties, wrap them in plastic wrap and let them chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes or so. This helps them hold together and cook evenly. Placing a cold patty on a grill or pan helps sear the outside of the burger and hold juices inside.
Get Cooking
- On the Grill: Oil the grates and preheat the grill to a high heat. Place the burgers directly on the heat. Make sure the heat isn’t too high or the outside will cook before the center. The burger will be ready to flip when it easily comes off the grate. If you want to know cooking times, take a look at our How Long to Grill… guide.
- On the Stove: Add a little oil to a pan and heat to medium-high heat (can use a skillet or a cast iron pan). When placing the patty into the pan, you want to hear a sizzle. Make sure to not overcrowd the pan or the burgers will not cook evenly. They’re ready to flip when the underside has a golden-brown sear (about 3 minutes). Flip and cook until your desired temperature (about 4 more minutes for a medium-rare burger).
Don’t Flip Out
It’s going to be tempting, but do not use a spatula to press down on your meat or go flip happy. Pressing the spatula onto the burger pushes out the juices which will result in a drier, less flavorful burger. It’s not necessary to flip the burger multiple times while cooking, once is really enough. By not over flipping, you’re letting the juices evenly distribute throughout the meat.
Get Cheesy
It’s time to turn that burger from ordinary to extraordinary. Whatever type of cheese you like to use, the cheese should be put on during the last minute or 90 seconds of cooking. Don’t wait until the burgers are fully cooked or they’ll overcook while the cheese is melting. If using a firmer cheese, like American, cheddar, Swiss or mozzarella, thinly slice or grate it. Softer cheeses, like gorgonzola, blue or Feta, should be crumbled.
Cheeseburger Recipes
If we’ve inspired you to make cheeseburgers tonight, here are a few Blue Ribbon cheeseburger recipes you’ll want to try.
Click Here for Recipe: Grilled Onion Cheeseburgers
Click Here for Recipe: Smoky Jalapeno Bacon Cheeseburgers
Click Here for Recipe: Kicked Up All American Cheeseburger
Click Here for Recipe: Bacon Cheeseburgers to Die For
